Armies of Summer

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Winterfell - Year 300 - Arya's Room

When Jon arrived at Arya's bedroom with the sword that he'd ordered, Arya was packing her things for the trip to King's Landing, and her direwolf, Nymeria, was helping her.

"Thank you, Nymeria. Septa Mordane says I have to do it again. 'My things weren't properly folded' she says. Who cares how they're folded? They're going to get all messed up anyway." Jon laughed as Arya threw a tiny bit of a fit as she angrily folded her things.

"It's good you've got help."

"Watch. Nymeria, gloves." Jon watched as Nymeria just stared up at Arya.

"Impressive."

"Shut up. Nymeria, gloves!" Nymeria again just looked at Arya, so Jon decided to change the subject, and save the poor animal from his sister's wrath.

"I have something for you. And it has to be packed very carefully."

"A present?"

"Close the door. This is no toy. Be careful you don't cut yourself." Jon said as he carefully laid the package on her bed and opened it up to reveal the small, thin sword.

"It's so skinny."

"So are you. I had the blacksmith make it for you special. It won't hack a man's head off, but it can poke him full of holes if you're quick enough."

"I can be quick."

"You'll have to work at it every day." Jon said as he gently handed the sword to her.

"How does it feel? Do you like the balance?"

"I think so."

"First lesson: Stick them with the pointy end."

"I know which end to use."

"I'm going to miss you..." Jon said as he leaned in to hug Arya, almost getting cut with the sword in the process.

"Careful." Arya giggled a little as she hugged her brother back, before letting go to pack the sword away.

"All the best swords have names you know."

"Sansa can keep her sewing needles. I've got a needle of my own."

Winterfell - Ten Minutes Later - Bran's Room

"I came to say goodbye to Bran." Jon said quietly as he moved into the room where his new sister-in-law, Elia, was sitting with Lady Stark, watching over the still unconscious Bran, while Lady Stark worked on a strange looking ornament.

"You've said it." Lady Stark snarked out, expecting Jon to leave, but he wouldn't he had to say goodbye to Bran, it might be the last time he would ever get to see him. So, instead he looked over at Elia, who gave him a small smile, and he nodded at her as he moved to sit on Bran's bed.

"I wish I could be here when you wake up. I'm going north with Uncle Benjen. I'm taking the black. I know we always talked about seeing the Wall together, but you'll be able to come visit me at Castle Black when you're better. I'll know my way around by then. I'll be a sworn brother of the Night's Watch. We can go out walking beyond the Wall, if you're not afraid." Jon could feel the tears welling in his eyes as he spoke, hoping beyond all hope that what he was saying would be true, and that his little brother would wake up, somehow.

"I... want you... to leave." Lady Stark forced out, holding in her tears as well. Jon glanced up at her and saw them, as well as his father entering the room, so he nodded, kissed Bran on the head, and squeezed Elia's shoulder on the way out of the room, leaving that as his goodbye to his new sister.

Winterfell - The Courtyard

Jon was packing the last minute items into his saddle bag when Robb appeared behind him.

"You've said goodbye to Bran? He's not going to die. I know it." Jon turned to look at his brother, knowing that Robb was saying that as much to reassure himself as it was to reassure Jon. But he appreciated it nonetheless.

"You Starks are hard to kill." Jon said with a gentle smile, trying to lighten the mood. Robb allowed himself to chuckle before turning serious again.

"My mother? Elia?"

"Your mother was very kind. And Elia seemed alright... tired. Maybe you should talk to her?" Jon watched as Robb nodded and looked over his shoulder, almost like he was looking for her, so Jon turned away to finish preparing his things for the journey ahead.

"Good. Next time I see you, you'll be all in black."

"It was always my color."

"Farewell, Snow."

"And you, Stark." Jon let Robb pull him into a strong hug, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach that he may never see this man again.

Kingsroad - The Fork in the Road

Tyrion and his men, as well as Benjen had already taken the other road, while Jon sat at the fork with his father, wanting to say goodbye but not knowing how to.

"There's great honor in serving the Night's Watch. The Starks have manned the Wall for thousands of years. And you are a Stark. You might not have my name, but you have my blood." Jon nodded, trying to build up the nerve to ask the question he so desperately wanted answers to.

"Is my mother alive? Does she know about me? Where I am, where I'm going? Does she care?"

"The next time we see each other, we'll talk about your mother. I promise." Jon allowed that to sink in, finally resigning himself to never knowing about his mother, because while his father promised to tell him, he doubted he would ever see his father again, not when he was going to the heart of Westeros, months away from his family. So he nodded, and he left, accepting his new life head on.

The Road to the Wall

Jon had taken a seat next to Tyrion Lannister around a fire that had been set up by Tyrion's guards, and Benjen was dealing with the men who had been taken from Winterfell to join the Night's Watch, they had been tied up the whole trip so Jon didn't ask about them.

"Sit. You'll be fed. Untie them." Benjen was saying to the other men of the Night's Watch as he made some sort of stew that looked pretty unappetizing to Jon.

"Rapers." Tyrion said, seeing the look on Jon's face as he stared over at them. Jon's head snapped over to look at Tyrion, wanting more information.

"They were given a choice no doubt... castration of the Wall. Most choose the knife. Not impressed by your new brothers? Lovely thing about the Watch... you discard your old family and get a whole new one." Jon let that sink in for a moment as Tyrion went back to reading his book.

"Why do you read so much?"

"Look at me and tell me what you see."

"Is this a trick?"

"What you see is a dwarf. If I'd been born a peasant they might've left me out in the woods to die. Alas, I was born a Lannister of Casterly Rock. Things are expected of me. My father was Hand of the King for 20 years."

"Until my father killed that King."

"Yes, until your father killed him. Life if full of these little ironies. You father put my sister's husband on the throne, and my repulsive nephew will be King after him. I must do my part for the honor of my house, wouldn't you agree? But how? Well, my brother has his sword and I have my mind. And a mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone. That's why I read so much. And you? What's your story, bastard?"

"Ask me nicely and maybe I'll tell you, dwarf."

"A bastard boy with nothing to inherit, off to join the ancient order of the Night's Watch, alongside his valiant brothers-in-arms."

"The Night's Watch protects the realm from-"

"Yes, yes. Against grumpkins and snarks and all the other monsters your wet nurse warned you about. You're a smart boy. You don't believe that nonsense... everything's better with some wine in the belly."